Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah February 2-27-2011

Priesthood Opening
The spiritual thought was based on President Uchtdorf’s Conference talk, “Of Things That Matter Most”, October 2010

Sometimes we speed up to get through the turbulence of life faster, when in reality it is best to slow down and find the optimum speed.  Some hurry to get a promotion or hurry to get through school as fast as possibly, while our other duties of life are neglected.

If you have things on your bucket list, they will be there after you finish the things that are important.  We may find that things on our bucket list are no longer important to us when we come back to it.

Elders Quorum
Lesson based on President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Pride and the Priesthood, October 2010 General Conference
President Uchtdorf quoted from Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4

“The promptings of the Holy Spirit have urged me to add my voice as another witness to President Benson’s message delivered 21 years ago.” - President Uchtdorf

When a general authority discuss a topic that has been covered previously and especially when they reference the other authorities words (conference talks, scriptures, and so forth) that is a second witness.

It is good to speak frankly about your abilities in cases like looking for a job.  Does our pride build people up and tear people down?  One of the ways it can tear us down personally is by getting us into unnecessary debt.

Alma 26:11-12
11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

Ammon and his friends had been beating down the church in their youth.  Ammon was likely seeing the power of god in his life and the intense contrast in what his life is like.  He must have been so happy with where his life was going and how many people he was helping.

“Pride is a switch that turns off priesthood power. 21 Humility is a switch that turns it on.” - President Uchtdorf

Sunday School
Matt 6:33 - see JST also
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible Matthew 6:38
38 Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.


Matthew 7:3-5
 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beamis in thine own eye?
 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

He is not saying that if a person with a beam in their eye tells you about the mote in your eye it doesn't mean that it is okay to ignore your mote and let it get infected, just because the person with the beam in their eye is not in a position to help you with  your mote at the moment.

Matthew 7:12 - golden rule - also see the footnote b marriage
12 Therefore all things whatso ever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.


Sacrament Service
President Spencer W Kimball, “On My Honor”, Ensign April 1979
“Almost all dishonesty owes its existence and growth to that inward distortion we call self-justification. It is the first, and worst, and most insidious form of cheating: We are cheating ourselves.”


Helaman 5:12
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.


John 14:3
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also


A breast plate protects our core, our heart and lungs.  We should also protect our spiritual core.

Shield of faith can be made of reverence, chastity, and so forth.  The shield is built in the home.


Julie B Beck, “TEACHING THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAMILY”, Ensign March 2011
“Parents, teachers, and leaders: live in your homes, in your families, in your marriages so that youth will develop hope for eternal life from watching you. Live and teach with so much clarity that what you teach will cut through all the noise youth are hearing and so that it will pierce their hearts and touch them.
“Live in your home so that you’re brilliant in the basics, so that you’re intentional about your roles and responsibilities in the family.”


From the Bulletin
"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul — We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
— Joseph Smith, Articles of Faith, Pearl of Great Price

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah February 2-20-2011

Assignments and phone calls reminders are necessary evils when things aren’t getting done.

D&C 58:26
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

Matthew 25:24-27
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo,there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

We can’t just do the minimum that is required of us or just the things we are specifically assigned to do if we are to be more than slothful servants.

Teach our children by playing and working with them.


Matthew 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Perfect - complete, finished, fully developed.

Ephesians 4:13 - unity of faith and perfect man
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

The apostles spent time speaking against works because their audience believed that they were saved by doing certain works only.


A missionary who is from anchorage who is serving in Ogden spoke to us.

1 Nephi 11:16-17
16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

Alma 60:21 - saved, duty
21 Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?

Matthew 22:35
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question,tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Should we need to be commanded to love God?
Should we need to be commanded to love our home teaching families?
Should we need to be commanded to do our duty?

Mosiah 4:15
15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.

One of the speakers talked about how he enjoyed the words to I Stand All Amazed.

One of the speakers told a story of being a flooring contractor and going to Lee Iococa's house.  Lee's wife said lee wasn't feeling well so he was sitting outside and wouldn't be able to come deal with the flooring issues.  Lee's wife would go out and ask lee about issues and that came up and would tell the contractor.  The contractor began to feel that lee was being arrogant and rude in not dealing with him directly.  After he got home he heard on the news that Lee Iococa had been issued to the hospital with a heart attack.  He felt awful that he had judged him.

From the Bulletin
"In the Church, our belief in the overriding importance of families is rooted in restored doctrine. If we live and act upon this knowledge, we will attract the world to us. Parents who place a high priority on their families will gravitate to the Church because it offers the family structure, values, doctrine, and eternal perspective that they seek and cannot find elsewhere.
Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family.
In today's world, where Satan's aggression against the family is so prevalent, parents must do all they can to fortify and defend their families. But their efforts may not be enough. Our most basic institution of family desperately needs help and support from the extended family and the public institutions that surround us. Brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins can make a powerful difference in the lives of children. Remember that the expression of love and encouragement from an extended family member will often provide the right influence and help a child at a critical time." Elder Russell M. Ballard, 'What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest," , (October 1, 2005)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah February 2-13-2011

Genesis 1 - The creation of the earth.

The word create in Genesis is the Greek word for fashion.

There is a lot of detail in genesis as to what was done.  Why is it described in such detail and told of happening over 6 days if he just spoke and it happened in an instant?  It shows the eternal principle of hard work.


The instructor said that he was going to cover a few stories from the the New Testament and if he didn't get to our favorite ones he apologized, but since we were in charge of having family home evening  tomorrow night, so we can cover what he misses there.

The men that the savior was chastising for being of little faith of the boat in the storm are apostles.  How much more do we waver in our lives?

We think about how Martin Harris could do the things he did after what he had seen and what he knew.  How can we do the things we do after what we have seen and what we know?


Pray, study, ponder

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10
10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

Becoming steadfast
Mosiah 5:15
15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

Going to the temple we learn about God's plan and our role in it.

“I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?” (Richard G. Scott, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need, April 2009 General Conference)

“In the peace of these lovely temples, sometimes we find solutions to the serious problems of life. Under the influence of the Spirit, sometimes pure knowledge flows to us there. Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. These answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways” (“What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple,” Ensign, Aug. 1985, 8).

From the Bulletin
"Be One Hundred Percent" "So what does it mean to obey the commandments, to keep our covenants, and to serve the Lord with `thee tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime? It means to be a 100 percent Latter-day Saint, 100 percent of the time. In scriptural terms, it means to follow the direction King Benjamin gave to his people: "I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his"(Mosiah 5:15)." Elder Dallin H. Oaks



Teacher Development Class
“We believe it is necessary that men in this age should live and act and be in touch with God the Father and with the Son, and that they should know them, whom to know is eternal life. We believe in order to know them and be in touch with them it is necessary in this age that we should live as the Saints did in ancient times, so that we may enjoy the same blessings which they did, and be taught of Him day by day, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until we come to a knowledge of the Father and know Him for ourselves. It is impossible for me to know for you, or for any man to know for me. The Spirit of God does not reveal to you the Gospel, or bear witness to you of the Father, for me. I cannot save you; you cannot save me. No man can be a savior in this sense to any other man. Yet the man who has the testimony of the Spirit in his heart and who has a knowledge of the first principles of the Gospel may declare them to another, and by so declaring another soul may be convinced of the truth and be led to embrace it for himself. But it is his obedience to the Gospel and his own works of righteousness which save him, and not those of the man that bears testimony to him. It is only in this way that the man can be saved.” (“Discourse by President Joseph F. Smith,” Millennial Star, 19 Sept. 1895, 596–97.)

Hymns are prayers.  If we don't sing all verses are we cutting the prayer short.

The primary song Teach Me to Walk in the Light talks about “Come, little child, and together we’ll learn”.  It doesn’t say come little child and listen to me teach you.  Verse 2 and 3 talk about always and gladly walking in the light.

The teacher gave us a handout that had the following information from a talk by President Uchtdorf.
{Begin handout}
Teaching Is Opportunity to Follow Christ, President Uchtdort Says
"Each of us, at some time during our membership in the Church, will be a teacher," President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, told seminary, institute, and religion teachers and educational administrators at a Church Educational System fireside. "That is one of the beauties of this Church," he said. "The call to teach is an opportunity to follow Jesus Christ, the Master Teacher."

The fireside was held at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 28, 2011. President Uchtdorf offered five selected topics of counsel for teachers:

First, follow the Master Teacher. Everything we do should center on the Savior—"His gospel, His teachings, His example, and His love." By expressing our love for the Savior, we help others to develop the same love.

Second, teach the truth with courage and clarity. The world offers many morally-confusing philosophies. Remain committed to the eternal, unchanging doctrines of the gospel and teach them so clearly that they cannot be misunderstood.

Third, teach by the Spirit. Having the Spirit enables teachers to touch hearts and lives and allows those listening to receive eternal learning.

Fourth, teach from the heart. President Uchtdorf recalled the greatest teachers in his life as those who spoke "spirit to spirit, heart to heart.. . with sincerity, passion, and conviction."

Fifth, testify. "The teacher who bears testimony by the power of the Spirit will be able to touch the hearts and minds of the students," President Uchtdorf said. He reminded teachers of the example of Brigham Young, the second president of the Church, who felt the Holy Ghost in the testimony of a man without eloquence or talents for public speaking. He quoted Brigham Young: "The Holy Ghost proceeding from that individual [illuminated] my understanding . . . and [I knew] for myself that the testimony of the man [was] true."

In the beginning of his address, President Uchtdorf said we live in a time of fulfillment of prophecy, when the gospel will be spread unto all the world, and that modern technology will help in that process. However, "as miraculous as these new technologies may seem, they are only a small part of the fulfillment of the Lord's prophecies." An even greater miracle, he said, is bringing the gospel into people's hearts. "To accomplish this," he said, "we need something even more miraculous than modern technology. We need effective, loving teachers."

As he was leaving the Tabernacle, President Uchtdorf endeared himself to the congregation by waving farewell and then placed his hand on his heart in a gesture of love, appreciation, and support for the teachers in the Church.
{End handout}


When and where do we teach?
Doctrine and Covenants 50:13-14
13 Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained?
14 To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.

3 Nephi 18:24
24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:78
78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

1 Nephi 19:23
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

What are we to teach?
Doctrine and Covenants 42:12
12 And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:78
“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand”

Alma 5:45–46
“And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?” His answer, which sets a pattern for all teachers, is: “Behold, I say unto you [that] they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me”

Alma 5:45
“Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "Gospel Teaching" October 1999
I have sometimes observed teachers who gave the designated chapter no more than a casual mention and then presented a lesson and invited discussion on other materials of the teacher's choice. That is not acceptable. A gospel teacher is not called to choose the subject of the lesson but to teach and discuss what has been specified. Gospel teachers should also be scrupulous to avoid hobby topics, personal speculations, and controversial subjects. The Lord's revelations and the directions of His servants are clear on this point. We should all be mindful of President Spencer W. Kimball's great instruction that a gospel teacher is a "guest":

"He has been given an authoritative position and a stamp of approval is placed upon him, and those whom he teaches are justified in assuming that, having been chosen and sustained in the proper order, he represents the Church and the things which he teaches are approved by the Church. No matter how brilliant he may be and how many new truths he may think he has found, he has no right to go beyond the program of the Church."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "A Teacher come from God" April 1998
Most people don't come to church looking merely for a few new gospel facts or to see old friends, though all of that is important. They come seeking a spiritual experience. They want peace. They want their faith fortified and their hope renewed. They want, in short, to be nourished by the good word of God, to be strengthened by the powers of heaven. Those of us who are called upon to speak or teach or lead have an obligation to help provide that, as best we possibly can. We can only do that if we ourselves are striving to know God, if we ourselves are continually seeking the light of His Only Begotten Son. Then, if our hearts are right, if we are as clean as we can be, if we have prayed and wept and prepared and worried until we don't know what more we can do, God can say to us as He did to Alma and the sons of Mosiah: "Lift up thy head and rejoice. . . . I will give unto you success."

When crises come in our lives--and they will--the philosophies of men interlaced with a few scriptures and poems just won't do. Are we really nurturing our youth and our new members in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life appear? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie--spiritually empty calories? President John Taylor once called such teaching "fried froth," the kind of thing you could eat all day and yet finish feeling totally unsatisfied. During a severe winter several years ago, President Boyd K. Packer noted that a goodly number of deer had died of starvation while their stomachs were full of hay. In an honest effort to assist, agencies had supplied the superficial when the substantial was what had been needed. Regrettably they had fed the deer but they had not nourished them.

I love what President J. Reuben Clark said of our youth well over a half century ago. The same thing can be said of new members. "[They] are hungry for the things of the spirit," he said; "they are eager to learn the Gospel, and they want it straight, undiluted. . . . ". . . You do not have to sneak up behind [them] and whisper religion in [their] ears; . . . you can bring these truths [out] openly."

Why do we teach?
Alma 12:28-32

28 And after God had appointed that these things should come unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto them;

29 Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused men to behold of his glory.
30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.
31 Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good—
32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.


How do we effectively teach?
DnC 50:17-22
17Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

18 And if it be by some other way it is not of God.

19 And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

20 If it be some other way it is not of God.

21 Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?
22 Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.



2 Nephi 33:1
1 And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.

Section 5.5 of the Church Handbook of Instructions Book 2.


From the Bulletin
"Be One Hundred Percent" `'So what does it mean to obey the commandments, to keep our covenants, and to serve the Lord with 'the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime? It means to be a 100 percent Latter-day Saint, 100 percent of the time. In scriptural terms, it means to follow the direction King Benjamin gave to his people: "I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his"(Mosiah 5:15)." Elder Dallin H. Oaks